I guess my next set of drills will be brad points! My dad gave me a set of 4 Stanley Speed-Bors when I got my first apartment. I have 2 left after 35 years of casual use. As you said, they're easy to sharpen, and the holes they make are polished on the inside. Forstner bits are great, but the Speed-Bor works a little like an augur, cutting the edges and chiseling out the middle.
The threaded piece on the tip of the auger bit is called the "snail" or "feed screw." Some were made for hard woods. The hardwood bits had finer, less steep threads on the snail.
Love the videos, but surprised that Rob made no mention of stepped drill bits. I was introduced to those a few years ago, make very clean holes without tear out, perfect for drilling clean holes in metal as well.
Great coverage of a topic that is very important to success in building but not taught very often. Thanks for the excellent presentation. BTW I have 3 of the Bosch 12V tools, the 2 you showed and the multi head version (has compact 90 degs, more). I like them so much that I built a holder right above my bench because I was using them so much. Plenty of power, light, easy to grip, batteries last forever.
I see you had one sitting on the bench but didn't mention the Vix or self-centering bits. One or two sizes will cover you for most applications. They are great for precisely centered holes for hinges.
All I would add would be a gauge - makes it easy to select a bit for a screw - and to size a bit when the shank has gotten roughed up. Thanks for the video.
When it comes to a drill press, I remain a huge fan of the Nova Voyager. It's computer interface solved so many problems/uncertainties for me that it was well worth the cost. It has made many tasks very simple. And NO belts to change. Just rotate a dial for continuously variable speed.
I splurged on the new Powermatic 2820EVS electronic variable speed floor model. I've gotten over my buyers remorse now. Being able to dial your speeds in per a given bit and substrate is no longer considered a luxury.
Excellent review of drill bits. Allow me echo your words about Fisch bits. They are hands down the best drill bits I have ever used. Fisch also makes first-rate mortising bits for hollow mortise machines. Thanks!
Oh how I would love to be able to attend your work shop. To be able to pick your brain with all the knowledge it contains would be amazing. Thank you sir for the tutorials over the years.
I have discovered that there are few if any modern cordless (maybe even corded) drills that have zero clearance chuck which means using really small drill bits is a problem. I have kept an oldish Black & Decker drill (originally came with 18V NiCad battery…it is that old) that has zero clearance chuck. The drill press that Rob shows does not have sufficient speed reduction to use the really big Forstner bits…the big ones will have max speed of 350RPM or less as the bits get bigger (not a problem if you use a cordless drill that can be run slowly. I ran into that problem with drill press…found one I could borrow (local woodworking club) that had dual speed reduction using 3 sets of pulleys.
The bits used with a brace have, if you can find them, different thread gauges and thread pitches on the lead screw (worm according to some) depending on whether they were for hardwood or soft. Finer threads and a lower thread pitch were for hardwood since you wanted the cutter to cut rather than stall. With too coarse and steep a thread, the lead screw tries to pull the bit into the wood too quickly. Even if the bit is freshly sharpened, on really hard woods, the cut can "stall," skipping rather than cutting, and the result will be stripping the lead threading in the leading bore of the worm. They are also excellent for producing very clean holes with no splintering. As soon as the lead screw _begins_ to push through the far side in a through bore, you stop and either turn the piece or move to the other side (of a door for instance) position the lead screw in the small hole it made coming the other way, and finish the hole. That produces through bore with sharp edges on both faces. Works well for tasks like installing peep holes in doors, installing dowels that pass through the piece and are visible from both faces and similar tasks where a really clean bore is needed.
Excellent overview Rob, I suspect you have more in the pipeline. I saw you had a hinge drill bit on your bench, but you didn't mention it. Not a criticism, but hinge drill bits are among the tools we don't use very often, but make a very specific task much easier and more precise. You have one on your bench, so I guess you use them. I do!
Rob, I know you may not be shopping for a new drill press if you have something that works, but if you ever consider an upgrade, have a look at the Nova Voyager or Nova Viking. They are both direct drive DC motor. Speed is changed by the turn of a knob - no more pulleys. Speed range is 50 to 5000. I understand what you said that you only use two speeds, but if you can change the speed by turning a knob, you may find it better to use an optimum speed since it is so much easier to set. These motors will also reverse, and they have modes that may be used for metal as well such as a tapping mode. The other important feature is noise - they are very quiet, and with the motor attached directly to the quill, and no belts, they save a lot of space since the motor is not sticking out the back like a standard drill press. They have an electronic depth settings as well. If you ever considered somthing like the Rikon Variable speed Drill press, go for Nova instead. I was looking for an upgrade and so glad I spent the extra money on the Nova Voyager. In Canada, King Tools sell the slightly smaller and cheaper Viking as a floor model unlike the US version which is bench only. Have a look, just for fun, you might like it.
The problem with the straight DC drive is that you don't get the torque multiplication. The DC motors do NOT have good torque at very low speeds anyway, but you'll never get the same grunt without that 4:1 greater reduction on the full torque of a fast AC motor. By all means get DC and the PWM speed control and the reversing - that's a fabulous upgrade. But remember the torque! The ultimate solution is to do a DC conversion (treadmill motor) on the AC drill press, and retain the stepped pulleys as well.
@@johncoops6897 I dont find this to be a problem. The Nova increases power when load is detected so the selected speed is maintained. I have installed a Keyless Chuck and there is a feature that allows you to activate the magnets on the motor to tighten the chuck. The power used is 25% and more than enough. I know what you mean, but in practice it is not an issue for my usage, and dont see how it could be in any other scenario. Any introduction of belts for more torque would eliminate the advantages of this type of drill press. Size would be increased, more noise, suspect you could never achieve 5500 rpm, the Rikon variable speed reportedly has problems when cold (my workshop is in an unheated garage). There are always compromises, but in my opinion this drill press is a step up from any belt driven model and worth the cost
The Stanley Powerbore bits are terrific. I call them “the Poorman’s Forstner Bit”. I’m forever combing through piles of miscellaneous bits at flea markets and garage sales on the hunt for them and will buy any I find. They show up on eBay as well. Too bad they went out of production.
I'm really liking Wood Owl Tri-cut Auger bits. Hex shank, but you can get an adapter from Taytools to use in a square chuck brace. (Works, but I did eventually buy a three jaw brace, more convenient). I've even used these augers in a cordless, but you have to be careful. Real careful. I have high hopes for some Wood Owl Overdrive boring bit that should be arriving soon and be better suited (no snail) for power drills. I haven't had the greatest luck with Forstners, so I'll be looking for those Fisch bits, although a quick search already suggests I'll be buying them one at a time.
@@Roct3874 I've burned up a number of Freuds--but doing carpentry, so not a fair test. They did hold up to the abuse better than anything else I tried. I
Forstner bits can be used for drilling any kind of hole, but the thing they do that no other bits can is that they can drill on the edge of a piece of wood. That means the bit does not need to be completely surrounded by wood, and the side of the hole can be exposed. That makes them the preferred bits for drilling out mortises because you can overlap the holes to remove material by drilling, and have less to clean up with a chisel. As for the old saying, "He who dies with the most tools, wins," that's just a way to justify wasted spending. Most of the greatest furniture ever made was built by men who had no more than 100 tools, and that's including all of their molding planes, and drill bits. The truth is, you can build any typical historic piece of furniture with a kit of just 50 tools. You'd need to pick the exact tools before starting, basing the selection on what's needed for the exact job, but it can be done. I'm not saying anyone should avoid buying tools that will honestly help them, but never ending buying is actually done in a vain attempt to assuage emotional problems.
FYI The Stanley forstner bits are Powerbore (Irwin has speedbore). Doesn’t change the fact that the Stanley Powerbore bits were discontinued (in the 1990s they say).
I've used the Irwin speedbore, clean holes but use them on low speed or the will pull the drill from your hand. Don't know anything about how long they last, they where stolen before I dulled them.
@@josephkittok If you want to have a drill twisted out of your hand, try one of the big hole saws. There are a bunch of forstner bit$ (deliberate) that sound promising, but I’ve still got my Powerbores.
Liked the video, but I disagree somewhat with your buy order. In my opinion you should get just a cheap set of Dewalt or whatever bits. Then go bradpoint. The get an actual index. Ultimately, it's nice to have a junky set to just drill in random stuff, and good bits (viking or cleline or whatever) are too expensive to waste them on things like wood imo. Also think basic tap/die set would be worth adding in there somewhere
His suggested buy order was exactly that same as what you said. Buy the twist drills first, then the brad points. What does _"The get an actual index"_ mean in English?
@@johncoops6897 the twist drills he has there are the ones in an index and are generally the higher quality us/Canadian made ones from brands like viking or cleline. I'm suggesting you should get a crappy index of ryobi or Dewalt or whatever (not by 64ths) because it's still nice to have those around for plastic or drywall or whatever. Then get the brad points then get a quality index (by 64ths) from a high quality manufacturer with a decent coating for drilling metal (specifically split point). If you're going to do any real metal drilling you don't want to be dulling those.
@@timothyschriefer2822 - ROFL. In this video, Rob's suggested *BUY ORDER* was to get a set of twist drills first, since those are general purpose. Then get a set of brad points for improved performance in wood. Watch the video again from 13:05 - you may find it easier to follow along if you switch on the Captions so you can also read it at the same time. Gawd knows what you are babbling about with "index"... Rob didn't mention that word, and he didn't mention brands either. ... OK, let's sum it up ... √ Rob suggested to get a set of twist drills first, and then get Brad points next. √ You suggested to get a set of twist drills first, and then get Brad points next. Hence, you don't actually _"disagree somewhat with your buy order."_ , eh?
@@timothyschriefer2822 - BTW - I have literally 1000's of drill bits here, and I primarily do woodwork. My main and most commonly used drills are a fairly cheap set of twist drills in 1/16" steps from 1/16" to 1/2", and I only have a small selection of metric and imperial Brad Points that were purchased as singles. I have multiple 5mm brad points, since that size is what is used for small dowels and standard shelf pins here in Australia. But even though we use Metric, I only very occasionally bring out my Metric twist drills (a horrid cheap set of Kobalt ones). .... Somebody who's just starting out will need a set of twist drills in 1/16" or 1mm increments many MANY times more often that they will need a set of brad points in 1/16" increments like you seem to suggest. So, the logical *"buy order"* can only ever be Twist Drills first, and then Brad Points. If people want to buy a smaller set of either, then so be it. However that doesn't alter the order in which to buy them.
Rob, do you know of any reliable sources for Yankee Screwdriver drill and driving bits? I got a nice old one from a garage sale, but only came with the slotted tip. Also, I’m looking forward to the flag case video I believe you said was in the works!
If you liked this video check out our video on how to sharpen your drill bits: th-cam.com/video/vXrYfPzepPg/w-d-xo.html
"He who dies with the most tools wins" 😂 absolutely cracked me up.
Everything is a competition!!!!
I've always said you just can't have to many tools.
I guess my next set of drills will be brad points! My dad gave me a set of 4 Stanley Speed-Bors when I got my first apartment. I have 2 left after 35 years of casual use. As you said, they're easy to sharpen, and the holes they make are polished on the inside. Forstner bits are great, but the Speed-Bor works a little like an augur, cutting the edges and chiseling out the middle.
The threaded piece on the tip of the auger bit is called the "snail" or "feed screw." Some were made for hard woods. The hardwood bits had finer, less steep threads on the snail.
Thanks for sharing.
Very Informative video.
HI rob so so much good adivce thank u.
Love the videos, but surprised that Rob made no mention of stepped drill bits. I was introduced to those a few years ago, make very clean holes without tear out, perfect for drilling clean holes in metal as well.
Too many drill bits out there. I had to whittle it down
Great coverage of a topic that is very important to success in building but not taught very often. Thanks for the excellent presentation.
BTW I have 3 of the Bosch 12V tools, the 2 you showed and the multi head version (has compact 90 degs, more). I like them so much that I built a holder right above my bench because I was using them so much. Plenty of power, light, easy to grip, batteries last forever.
I totally agree with you
I see you had one sitting on the bench but didn't mention the Vix or self-centering bits. One or two sizes will cover you for most applications. They are great for precisely centered holes for hinges.
Yep those are nice bits....
thanks
Thanks for another great video. I think you are winning!
All I would add would be a gauge - makes it easy to select a bit for a screw - and to size a bit when the shank has gotten roughed up. Thanks for the video.
you bet
hey Rob! just started watching your channel a little while back, love the stuff and how you support the vets! anyway, what forstner bit set is that?
fisch
Another great video, Rob.
thanks
When it comes to a drill press, I remain a huge fan of the Nova Voyager. It's computer interface solved so many problems/uncertainties for me that it was well worth the cost. It has made many tasks very simple. And NO belts to change. Just rotate a dial for continuously variable speed.
direct drives are nice
Glad for the insights, I'm trying to make good decisions on this stuff. This really helped.
I am really glad, thats why we made it
I took to wearing multi pocket work trousers some years back. Now I have a dozen drill bits with me at all times....every one 4mm!
Thats funny
I splurged on the new Powermatic 2820EVS electronic variable speed floor model. I've gotten over my buyers remorse now. Being able to dial your speeds in per a given bit and substrate is no longer considered a luxury.
Stanley No. 105 Powerbore bits. That APDS round on the floor next to the drill press is a heck of a hole maker, too.
And the APD leaves very smooth walls!!!!!!
Need a hole-saw set too
Excellent review of drill bits. Allow me echo your words about Fisch bits. They are hands down the best drill bits I have ever used. Fisch also makes first-rate mortising bits for hollow mortise machines. Thanks!
Night and day difference compared to what most folks struggle with.
Oh how I would love to be able to attend your work shop. To be able to pick your brain with all the knowledge it contains would be amazing. Thank you sir for the tutorials over the years.
Sign up for a 2022 workshop in November
Just heard a segment on CBC radio featuring you and your charity Rob Cosman.
yep just made it the other day
Can you please link the brand of tapered countersink drill bits you like please? Also the Fisch brad point drill bits?
I have discovered that there are few if any modern cordless (maybe even corded) drills that have zero clearance chuck which means using really small drill bits is a problem. I have kept an oldish Black & Decker drill (originally came with 18V NiCad battery…it is that old) that has zero clearance chuck. The drill press that Rob shows does not have sufficient speed reduction to use the really big Forstner bits…the big ones will have max speed of 350RPM or less as the bits get bigger (not a problem if you use a cordless drill that can be run slowly. I ran into that problem with drill press…found one I could borrow (local woodworking club) that had dual speed reduction using 3 sets of pulleys.
I’d be interested to see your method of choice for sharpening drill bits. I’ve been wanting to give it a shot
Ditto! Drilldoctor, anyone?
Watch my video on sharpening drill bits
The bits used with a brace have, if you can find them, different thread gauges and thread pitches on the lead screw (worm according to some) depending on whether they were for hardwood or soft. Finer threads and a lower thread pitch were for hardwood since you wanted the cutter to cut rather than stall. With too coarse and steep a thread, the lead screw tries to pull the bit into the wood too quickly. Even if the bit is freshly sharpened, on really hard woods, the cut can "stall," skipping rather than cutting, and the result will be stripping the lead threading in the leading bore of the worm. They are also excellent for producing very clean holes with no splintering. As soon as the lead screw _begins_ to push through the far side in a through bore, you stop and either turn the piece or move to the other side (of a door for instance) position the lead screw in the small hole it made coming the other way, and finish the hole. That produces through bore with sharp edges on both faces. Works well for tasks like installing peep holes in doors, installing dowels that pass through the piece and are visible from both faces and similar tasks where a really clean bore is needed.
Exactly correct
Love my brace
great!!!
Excellent overview Rob, I suspect you have more in the pipeline. I saw you had a hinge drill bit on your bench, but you didn't mention it. Not a criticism, but hinge drill bits are among the tools we don't use very often, but make a very specific task much easier and more precise. You have one on your bench, so I guess you use them. I do!
Yes, but like you said I had to narrow down to just essentials
Rob, I know you may not be shopping for a new drill press if you have something that works, but if you ever consider an upgrade, have a look at the Nova Voyager or Nova Viking. They are both direct drive DC motor. Speed is changed by the turn of a knob - no more pulleys. Speed range is 50 to 5000. I understand what you said that you only use two speeds, but if you can change the speed by turning a knob, you may find it better to use an optimum speed since it is so much easier to set. These motors will also reverse, and they have modes that may be used for metal as well such as a tapping mode. The other important feature is noise - they are very quiet, and with the motor attached directly to the quill, and no belts, they save a lot of space since the motor is not sticking out the back like a standard drill press. They have an electronic depth settings as well.
If you ever considered somthing like the Rikon Variable speed Drill press, go for Nova instead. I was looking for an upgrade and so glad I spent the extra money on the Nova Voyager. In Canada, King Tools sell the slightly smaller and cheaper Viking as a floor model unlike the US version which is bench only. Have a look, just for fun, you might like it.
Thanks I have looked at the before.
The problem with the straight DC drive is that you don't get the torque multiplication. The DC motors do NOT have good torque at very low speeds anyway, but you'll never get the same grunt without that 4:1 greater reduction on the full torque of a fast AC motor.
By all means get DC and the PWM speed control and the reversing - that's a fabulous upgrade. But remember the torque! The ultimate solution is to do a DC conversion (treadmill motor) on the AC drill press, and retain the stepped pulleys as well.
@@johncoops6897 I dont find this to be a problem. The Nova increases power when load is detected so the selected speed is maintained. I have installed a Keyless Chuck and there is a feature that allows you to activate the magnets on the motor to tighten the chuck. The power used is 25% and more than enough. I know what you mean, but in practice it is not an issue for my usage, and dont see how it could be in any other scenario. Any introduction of belts for more torque would eliminate the advantages of this type of drill press. Size would be increased, more noise, suspect you could never achieve 5500 rpm, the Rikon variable speed reportedly has problems when cold (my workshop is in an unheated garage). There are always compromises, but in my opinion this drill press is a step up from any belt driven model and worth the cost
The Stanley Powerbore bits are terrific. I call them “the Poorman’s Forstner Bit”. I’m forever combing through piles of miscellaneous bits at flea markets and garage sales on the hunt for them and will buy any I find. They show up on eBay as well. Too bad they went out of production.
I agree, easy to sharpen and that long center spur kept it right on track.
I'm really liking Wood Owl Tri-cut Auger bits. Hex shank, but you can get an adapter from Taytools to use in a square chuck brace. (Works, but I did eventually buy a three jaw brace, more convenient). I've even used these augers in a cordless, but you have to be careful. Real careful. I have high hopes for some Wood Owl Overdrive boring bit that should be arriving soon and be better suited (no snail) for power drills. I haven't had the greatest luck with Forstners, so I'll be looking for those Fisch bits, although a quick search already suggests I'll be buying them one at a time.
The overdrive bits are fantastic and if you want another Forstner bit option Freud makes a bit just like fisch the Precision Shear line.
I have never used the Wood Owl but heard good things about them
@@Roct3874 I've burned up a number of Freuds--but doing carpentry, so not a fair test. They did hold up to the abuse better than anything else I tried. I
Forstner bits can be used for drilling any kind of hole, but the thing they do that no other bits can is that they can drill on the edge of a piece of wood. That means the bit does not need to be completely surrounded by wood, and the side of the hole can be exposed. That makes them the preferred bits for drilling out mortises because you can overlap the holes to remove material by drilling, and have less to clean up with a chisel.
As for the old saying, "He who dies with the most tools, wins," that's just a way to justify wasted spending. Most of the greatest furniture ever made was built by men who had no more than 100 tools, and that's including all of their molding planes, and drill bits. The truth is, you can build any typical historic piece of furniture with a kit of just 50 tools. You'd need to pick the exact tools before starting, basing the selection on what's needed for the exact job, but it can be done.
I'm not saying anyone should avoid buying tools that will honestly help them, but never ending buying is actually done in a vain attempt to assuage emotional problems.
That was deep, I prefer to stay a little closer to the surface with my answers. I’ll leave the diagnoses to the experts!
I'm waiting for your shoulder vice to get here next week. What would you recommend to bore the holes in Maple and Mahogany for the install?
A good forstner bit
Was the egg beater hand drill a Miller Falls?
Yes it was
FYI The Stanley forstner bits are Powerbore (Irwin has speedbore). Doesn’t change the fact that the Stanley Powerbore bits were discontinued (in the 1990s they say).
Thanks for commenting
I've used the Irwin speedbore, clean holes but use them on low speed or the will pull the drill from your hand. Don't know anything about how long they last, they where stolen before I dulled them.
@@josephkittok If you want to have a drill twisted out of your hand, try one of the big hole saws. There are a bunch of forstner bit$ (deliberate) that sound promising, but I’ve still got my Powerbores.
Liked the video, but I disagree somewhat with your buy order. In my opinion you should get just a cheap set of Dewalt or whatever bits. Then go bradpoint. The get an actual index. Ultimately, it's nice to have a junky set to just drill in random stuff, and good bits (viking or cleline or whatever) are too expensive to waste them on things like wood imo. Also think basic tap/die set would be worth adding in there somewhere
His suggested buy order was exactly that same as what you said. Buy the twist drills first, then the brad points.
What does _"The get an actual index"_ mean in English?
thanks for the comment...
@@johncoops6897 the twist drills he has there are the ones in an index and are generally the higher quality us/Canadian made ones from brands like viking or cleline. I'm suggesting you should get a crappy index of ryobi or Dewalt or whatever (not by 64ths) because it's still nice to have those around for plastic or drywall or whatever. Then get the brad points then get a quality index (by 64ths) from a high quality manufacturer with a decent coating for drilling metal (specifically split point). If you're going to do any real metal drilling you don't want to be dulling those.
@@timothyschriefer2822 - ROFL. In this video, Rob's suggested *BUY ORDER* was to get a set of twist drills first, since those are general purpose. Then get a set of brad points for improved performance in wood.
Watch the video again from 13:05 - you may find it easier to follow along if you switch on the Captions so you can also read it at the same time.
Gawd knows what you are babbling about with "index"... Rob didn't mention that word, and he didn't mention brands either.
... OK, let's sum it up ...
√ Rob suggested to get a set of twist drills first, and then get Brad points next.
√ You suggested to get a set of twist drills first, and then get Brad points next.
Hence, you don't actually _"disagree somewhat with your buy order."_ , eh?
@@timothyschriefer2822 - BTW - I have literally 1000's of drill bits here, and I primarily do woodwork. My main and most commonly used drills are a fairly cheap set of twist drills in 1/16" steps from 1/16" to 1/2", and I only have a small selection of metric and imperial Brad Points that were purchased as singles.
I have multiple 5mm brad points, since that size is what is used for small dowels and standard shelf pins here in Australia. But even though we use Metric, I only very occasionally bring out my Metric twist drills (a horrid cheap set of Kobalt ones).
....
Somebody who's just starting out will need a set of twist drills in 1/16" or 1mm increments many MANY times more often that they will need a set of brad points in 1/16" increments like you seem to suggest.
So, the logical *"buy order"* can only ever be Twist Drills first, and then Brad Points. If people want to buy a smaller set of either, then so be it. However that doesn't alter the order in which to buy them.
I like driving self tapping screws with a brace.
“There’s no norm.”
There is a norm!
There is THE “Norm”!
Norm Abrams!
Love Norm
No step bits?
I was trying just to select and talk about the essential bits
Go to bed lol
I am in bed
Vor bracbits there is something important. There are fine and corse spures. Vorerst zardwood you need the fine ones.
Great comment
The CS bits are actually reamers I think.
Rob, do you know of any reliable sources for Yankee Screwdriver drill and driving bits? I got a nice old one from a garage sale, but only came with the slotted tip.
Also, I’m looking forward to the flag case video I believe you said was in the works!
Garret-Wade
Garret wade is the place